Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Deep breath - the saga continues... Defener 200tdi - VNT turbo and midly "tuned". New block and engine re-built 6 months ago. So finally she's running without smoke, but the last few days the water temp has seemed a little high for this time of year in my experience, its been running 91-93 degrees and its usually pretty stable but it seems pretty variable. On under bonnet inspection the cooling system has been mega pressurised and seems pretty tight as it stays pressurised even when cold - which is ok. but the last few days I've noticed the level in the water resevoir rises and stays their, on removal of the rad plug the top 30mm of radiator is exposed with no water in it. let the resovoir cap off and the level drops and re-fills the radiator. - fine. So yesterday I noticed a what I think is new residue appear in the water tank, also found traces of it in the top of the radiator near the cap. on dipping my finger in it, it just feels like slightly waxy dirt - rubs onto a paper towl like a smear of fine mud, no real oilyness to it. Very slight oil shean on the surface of the coolant but I think that was there when first installed. I had a notion that it could be just rubbish from the block, I did notice when installed that it wasnt perticularly clean but... why has "dirt" just appeared in the resovoir now, so was thinking I could do a coolant wash but that doesnt explain the air pockets in the radiator. I did find a split O ring on the radiator cap - now replaced (that probably didnt help). Anyone any pearls before I buy a new headgasket (yawn)... Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wytze Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 I think i would flush the coolant first. When that stay's nice and clean, it must have been just residue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 That sounds like a head gasket to me. How much pressure does it keep after shut down and for how long? Neither of mine hold pressure in the cooling system much longer than an hour and even then it's about lemonade bottle levels. I've had one just pressurise the coolant with no other symptoms, no residue, it had gone between number 3 and a water way. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 5 minutes ago, miketomcat said: That sounds like a head gasket to me. How much pressure does it keep after shut down and for how long? Neither of mine hold pressure in the cooling system much longer than an hour and even then it's about lemonade bottle levels. I've had one just pressurise the coolant with no other symptoms, no residue, it had gone between number 3 and a water way. Mike Easily keeps pressure through the night. I put an exhaust gas liquid tester on it yesterday but didn't indicate anything, might try that again after it's next run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Pressure test? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 How much of said dirt is now clogging up your thermostat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 2 hours ago, Maverik said: Easily keeps pressure through the night. I put an exhaust gas liquid tester on it yesterday but didn't indicate anything, might try that again after it's next run. I did this on a D3, not very conclusive, then I learnt you need to fill the tank to near full to remove the air as it will significantly reduce the chemical reaction. CO2 will turn it from blue to yellow but air/oxygen will turn it back to blue. It can be reused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Also have found that not so effective on diesel compared to petrol.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uninformed Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 I can’t help but to say I feel for you. Engines have been painful for me, over heating being more than once. hopefully you can get it sorted 🤞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 2 hours ago, Nonimouse said: Pressure test? What am i pressure testing? Cylinder? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 2 hours ago, elbekko said: How much of said dirt is now clogging up your thermostat? Don't know, not looked at it yet I doubt its done anything to the thermostate, its more just a thin film of whatever. I've bought a gasket set, new thermostat and temp senders too. But what I just noticed on my stop start along the A64, tenp went up with the stops, checked the fan in the hafrauds car park and the viscous unit is caput too, only got replace before Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 Well that's sorted the viscous unit. Also put the gas test onto the radiator where the bubble appears and didn't indicate at all. I'll monitor over next few days, running with the VNT and fuel "tune" does seem to run hot rather than the usual tdi cold. Other than that she's running pretty nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 My electric fan very rarely cuts in at this time of year the switch is in the top of the thermostat housing. In fact the replacement engine that's just gone in is running cooler than the one with oil pressure issues I've just taken out. Are you getting heat out of the heater? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 1 minute ago, miketomcat said: My electric fan very rarely cuts in at this time of year the switch is in the top of the thermostat housing. In fact the replacement engine that's just gone in is running cooler than the one with oil pressure issues I've just taken out. Are you getting heat out of the heater? Yeah, red hot from the heater, I've been turning the heat down with these mild days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 200tdi's are known for running cool generally they get colder at tick over. If mine was running hot first I'd check the radiator isn't clogged/empty (assume you already have) then I'd be taking the head off I'm afraid. Mike Just a thought have you checked or changed the water pump I've had the impeller shear off before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 Had new radiator 6 months ago, pump was off in November when the engine was re-built OEM type with brass impeller looked like new. When I first installed the VNT turbo that was one thing that was super obvious it ran hotter - oil temp will sit at about 94deg on the motorway at 60mph. Temp usually doeant go above 91 unless for a steep hill and it might pop to 92 but comes down as soon as the hill has gone. The build up of gas/air that appears to be happening is pretty unexplainable other than a leak from combustion and the film debris also points to that in my head, still in denial I guess, I'm sick of taking the thing apart. New gasket should appear next week so unless it miraculously stops acting strange then it will be off with its head. - shes back on the trade-in for a Grendier list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 2 hours ago, Maverik said: What am i pressure testing? Cylinder? Cylinder and coolant system That dirt looks like casting sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 So not great news, took her out again tonight and she overheated twice as well as lost heart in the van heater a couple of times, some tactical bleed stops and some carful driving got be home. Coolant had also been expelled from the reservoir cap too so the pressure in the system must be big. As much as I don't want to acknowledge, it can now only be the headgasket or a cracked head. Pish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 What type of head gasket is fitted now? I had lots of oil/coolant mix faults with a MLS gasket, coolant was getting past the layers & mixing in oil ways, swapped it for a composite type on & the mixing fault ceased, that was before the rebuild just over 3 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 Hey Ralph, it's already an elring composite gasket in there. A bit puzzled at the moment as to why it's happend, especially as it's so new hopefully when I get it off that might shed some light on the issue. There's appears to be an engine rebuilder quite local, I'll get the head off and get tested unless the gasket has shown obvious failure signs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Elring are good kit, I use the same on my engine, hopefully the head is not cracked & it's a failed gasket & fairly easy to sort. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 4 hours ago, Maverik said: Hey Ralph, it's already an elring composite gasket in there. A bit puzzled at the moment as to why it's happend, especially as it's so new hopefully when I get it off that might shed some light on the issue. There's appears to be an engine rebuilder quite local, I'll get the head off and get tested unless the gasket has shown obvious failure signs. Was it bought direct form Elring? Lots and lots of knock off Elring copies around.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Turner Engineering sell Elring. Personally, I trust them as a supplier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Nonimouse said: Was it bought direct form Elring? Lots and lots of knock off Elring copies around.... really? The gasket did come from turners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 12 minutes ago, Maverik said: really? The gasket did come from turners. Should be okay then - they buy from Elring. Can't see Tina buying cheap knock off's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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